Unearthed Vault

Unearthed Vault is a random encounter in Tales from the Tiers.

Transcript
Hours ago, two weary travelers assured you shelter and water awaited you at a trading outpost nestled within the remnants of an old Azurian city, just a few leagues away. Now, standing along the edge of a cracked earthen pillar, you can confirm your hopes of resupply dashed - the old ruins have been relocated into the depths of a massive chasm. Some of the city remains visible, smashed against a steep escarpment directly beneath the cliff's edge. As your eyes trace the rubble trailing down the slope, you spy the tell-tale swirls of blue and white paint along an intact wall, markers used to indicate granaries, armories, and vaults. Though largely intact, the structure is precariously placed, and bits of rubble constantly tumble down the side. Safety issues aside, it may be worth a look. Search the area for ways into the vault. Skirt the edge of the chasm and move on. The rocky slope leading to the vault is perilously steep. Losing your footing could mean a painful tumble to the unseen bottom, a fate few would likely survive. Rocks, roots and rubble line the way down and may be strong enough to support your weight. Nearby, the remnants of a wood and rope bridge dangle over the edge, still tied to a single wooden anchor along the cliff's edge. Climb down the remnants of the bridge. Carefully move down the slope on foot. Use the remaining rope to rappel down the escarpment. You give the rope around the anchor a firm tug and, convinced that it'll hold, slowly begin your descent down the remnants of the bridge, stepping on the flimsily-attached wooden slats as one would upon a ladder. Halfway down, your progress is interrupted by the discomfiting sensation of dust and pebble spraying atop the back of your head. An upward glance reveals a horrifying sight: the ground adjacent to the bridge's anchor is rapidly crumbling due to your weight upon it, spilling dirt and dust downward in an angry torrent. The particles cloud your vision as you grasp at potential handholds embedded in the slope. Your fingertips make contact with something solid, but it is too late - you feel yourself suddenly dropping. The earth belches out a deep rumble, and the dirt around your feet rapidly begins to disintegrate, like sand energetically spilling down a slope. You quickly take hold of some thick roots and pull yourself upward, immediately ready to find the next handhold. A heavy object smashes into your shoulder, nearly making you lose your grip. Your limbs dart between any available surface on the way up - rock, trunk, unearthed pillars, former cobblestone, it doesn't matter. You don't stop until you pull yourself back onto the cliff, bruised, bleeding, muscles burning with exhaustion. Beneath you, the vault has completely disappeared from view, as has most of the escarpment that nearly claimed your life. You take a moment to rest before resuming your journey around the chasm's edge, content to leave the vault to other, more foolhardy, travelers. The slope is covered in fine particles and pebbles, making it unsuitable for unaided traversal. You carefully make your way down atop objects embedded in the ground - the top half of an old lamppost, the exposed roots of a buried tree, even the leather straps of old armor smashed between rocks. You gingerly make your way to the vault, gratified to see that its rear wall has been smashed, spilling rings and other valuables directly on to the dusty slope. The earth belches out a deep rumble, and the dirt around your feet rapidly begins to disintegrate, like sand energetically spilling down a slope. You quickly take hold of some thick roots and pull yourself upward, immediately ready to find the next handhold. A heavy object smashes into your shoulder, nearly making you lose your grip. Your limbs dart between any available surface on the way up - rock, trunk, unearthed pillars, former cobblestone, it doesn't matter. You don't stop until you pull yourself back onto the cliff, bruised, bleeding, muscles burning with exhaustion. Beneath you, the vault has completely disappeared from view, as has most of the escarpment that nearly claimed your life. Within a few minutes, you are able to pull up the entirety of the fallen bridge. You carefully separate the wooden boards from the thick strands and coil the freed rope around a nearby tree. With the end of the line firmly tied around your waist, you slowly lower yourself down the slope, resting your feet upon any protruding stone, roots, or rubble that you can find. The descent is quick, and within moments, you find yourself leaning against the rear wall of the Azurian vault, its thick walls conveniently smashed wide open, rings and other valuables spilled upon dusty slope like desert jetsam. The earth belches out a deep rumble, and the dirt around your feet rapidly begins to disintegrate, like sand energetically spilling down a slope. The vault jerks suddenly, angling itself towards the gap's base before sliding downward with the shifting dirt. Your rope continues to hold, allowing you to carefully raise yourself as your feet occasionally makes contact with the receding slope. You pull yourself over the edge, heart-racing but unharmed. Beneath you, the vault has completely vanished from view, once more an unclaimed treasure of the Stone Sea. What you think will be a fatal plunge into a vertical nothing comes to a sudden halt as you smash into the cliff wall and grab hold of a tree root as you struggle to find your footing on the nearly sheer incline. You quickly scoop up as many items as you can, filling your pouches and rucksack. As you step closer to peer inside the vault, you feel the ground beneath you wobble disconcertingly. You quickly scoop up as many items as you can, filling your pouches and rucksack. As you step closer to peer inside the vault, you feel the ground beneath you wobble disconcertingly. You take a moment to rest before resuming your journey around the chasm's edge, content to leave the vault to other, more foolhardy, travelers. You take a moment to rest before resuming your journey around the chasm's edge, content to leave the vault to other, more foolhardy, travelers. Continue... Continue... Continue... Continue... Continue... Continue... Continue... Continue... Continue... You take a moment to rest before resuming your journey around the chasm's edge, content to leave the vault to other, more foolhardy, travelers.